The Spielwarenmesse eG fair team has been working with the Nuremberg SOS Children’s Village since Spielwarenmesse 2014 to give gifts to children all over Germany. That year, around 800 of the 2,700 exhibitors donated some of their products to the charity, and all in all, more than 8,000 products were collected and donated to social institutions throughout Germany. [Read more...]

Spirit Halloween will continue its annual Spirit of Children program, which brings Halloween cheer and festivities to hospitalized children by hosting more than 84 events in conjunction with Child Life departments throughout the U.S. and Canada.

This year, Spirit of Children’s goal is to raise $5.2 million—bringing its total contribution to more than $21 million donated since the program’s inception in 2006.

Shoppers can donate to the Spirit of Children program online or in a Spirit Halloween location. The funds raised will go to the location’s closest hospital. Spirit Halloween shoppers who make at least a $2 donation will receive a Spirit of Children bracelet.

All funds raised are donated to participating Child Life departments across North America and focus on the emotional and psychological well being of hospitalized children while doctors and nurses focus on their medical needs.

The Toy Industry Foundation (TIF) is seeking toys for infants, toddlers, and teens for an early fall toy distribution at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia. Held in cooperation with Boys & Girls Clubs of America Military Services, the foundation’s giveaway, scheduled for September 18, will reach an estimated 500 kids living at the base.

Toys for the Langley Air Force Base distribution are being accepted through September 2. Companies are encouraged to complete a product donation form and send it to thetoybank@toyindustryfoundation.org or via fax to (212) 675-1328, or to contribute funds to this cause. Donors will receive a supporter badge to place on their own website.

Additional information can be found at www.thetoybank.org, and questions may be directed to Elizabeth Max, foundation program manager.

Toys “R” Us has introduced an exclusive, 100-percent recyclable, reusable tote bag featuring a young child’s artwork at its stores. One dollar from the purchase of each bag will be donated directly to Save the Children‘s Domestic Emergency Fund, a global humanitarian organization that ensures the urgent needs of children are met during a crisis.

Toys “R” Us and Save the Children have also compiled disaster planning tips and checklists on the company’s dedicated safety site, www.toysrusinc.com/safety, where families can learn more about fundamental supplies for emergency kits, determining a safe location if loved ones are separated, and how to develop a communication strategy. Customers can also visit www.toysrus.com/savethechildren to view an official registry of products, including toys and games, which can be purchased and sent directly to Save the Children to be used for kids during times of crisis. Diapers, wipes, hygiene items, and other basic supplies can also be purchased from this registry.

Hasbro Inc. helped spread joy to thousands of underserved children in 35 countries through its first Global Day of Joy. The initiative empowered Hasbro’s 5,000 employees from its global headquarters in Rhode Island to its offices across Latin America, Europe, and Asia Pacific to become holiday elves and to be a part of community service projects designed to bring joy over the holidays to children in need. Team Hasbro employees volunteered with more than 100 charitable organizations worldwide.

Examples of the different types of service projects that took place on Hasbro’s Global Day of Joy included a special celebration for children in Colombia who have received life changing cleft palate procedures from Operation Smile, featuring a contest that teamed Hasbro employees with the children to “create” their greatest smile using Play-Doh; working with SOS Children’s Villages in five countries to transform outdated play areas, host special Game Day events, and deliver toys and games to the orphaned children who live there, including those in Russia, Peru, and Austria; assembly and packaging of more than 136,000 meals that were delivered to 25 food pantries and schools across Rhode Island in partnership with Outreach Inc., a U.S.-based hunger relief organization; and the delivery of tens of thousands of toys and games to charitable organizations across the globe.

During the 2013 holiday season alone, Hasbro expects to donate more than $3 million worth of toys and games to children and approximately $15 million in total philanthropic support worldwide.

BAE Systems employees have presented military families across the San Diego area with new bicycles, safety helmets, and toys during the holiday season. The employees in Rancho Bernardo have raised enough money through fundraising events and personal contributions to donate 500 new bikes and helmets.

The annual bike drive has taken place since 1995, and employees have raised funds to donate more than 9,000 bicycles for San Diego families over the years. Additionally, bicycle maker Huffy has provided discounts on bikes and tricycles, and Bell has offered helmets at a reduced cost for the effort.

The Toy Industry Foundation (TIF) has announced a year-long sponsorship opportunity that would allow a single toy company to help children in need throughout next year. The special donor who participates in the Adopt-the-Pig sponsorship program by contributing $10,000, tax-deductible, to TIF’s Toy Bank will impact one million children in need next year.

Sponsorship funds will fuel the work of The Toy Bank program next year and help TIF engage the public. The sponsor company will be recognized through various intra-industry print and online publications, including TIF’s booth at the 111th American International Toy Fair.

Any company that is interested in this sponsorship opportunity or learning more about other recognition opportunities may contact TIF at (646) 454-5581 by October 30.

Lloyd Miller, communal songster and leader of the indie band The Deedle Deedle Dees, believes that music is a great way to build a community—especially when everyone’s singing, tapping, and dancing together. Miler will release his first solo album release, S.S. Brooklyn, on September 24.

Miller holds singalongs in various spaces in Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Ditmas Park, and Williamsburg five or six nights a week. S.S. Brooklyn features original songs, as well as the most-requested songs. These events provide audiences an opportunity to support various causes, such as the Red Hook Initiative, Soleil Global, and Sing for Hope—all part of Miller’s ongoing “music outreach mission.” Audience members bring in donations to the shows and Miller delivers them to support children in Haiti or the victims of Superstorm Sandy.

In addition to regular sing-along events this fall, Miller will host concerts at the Brooklyn Historical Society on the first Saturday of every month beginning November 2. An S.S. Brooklyn release concert is planned for October 13 at Shapeshifter Lab, launching the Hip Tot Music Fest season. The album is produced by Dean Jones, and guest artists include Marianne Tasick, Abby Rock, and Debbie Lan.

Toy industry stakeholders who would like to help bring the power of play to children in need are invited to join the Toy Industry Foundation’s (TIF) Leaders Circle giving program by annually donating to TIF. The Leaders Circle raises more than 10 percent of TIF’s annual budget, making it a critical source of funds for core toy donation and grant programs. Currently, the Leaders Circle includes approximately 100 members, and TIF hopes to see it expand in order to keep pace with TIF’s growing toy donation and grant-making activities.

New Products

Jakks Pacific Inc. has secured a licensing agreement with Lafig and Sony Pictures Consumer Products to produce toys and related products based on the Smurfs franchise, including the classic Smurfs brand and the upcoming Smurfs feature film premiering in August 2016. The worldwide master toy agreement includes the rights to produce figures, play sets, plush, [...]

On March 20, Nintendo will launch the Super Mario amiibo—Gold Edition, a gold-colored Mario figure that arrives on the same day as the Mario Party 10 game for the Wii U console. The new gold-colored Mario is compatible with multiple games that support the amiibo line of figures. Mario Party 10 features a new amiibo [...]

Jelly Jam Entertainment has partnered with Kids Preferred to launch The Moodsters, a new line of toys and books designed to teach kids the fundamentals of feelings. The Moodsters consist of five lovable detectives—Coz, Lolly, Snorf, Razzy, and Quigly—who come to the rescue whenever their friends, Zach and Zoey, have a feelings emergency. The stories [...]

The fifth season of TV series The Walking Dead will be accompanied by new The Walking Dead Minimates, from Diamond Select Toys and arriving at Toys “R” Us stores nationwide and toysrus.com in March. The new assortment features characters from the “All Out War” story arc featured in issues No. 115 to 126 of The [...]

Corus Entertainment‘s Nelvana has entered a partnership with Cepia LLC to bring the Zhu Zhu Pets brand back to store shelves, with Nelvana Studio producing a new animated series based upon the property. Nelvana Enterprises will also oversee global merchandising of the brand in conjunction with the distribution of the new series.